Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri is the first State Agriculture University in Maharashtra established in 1969 having its jurisdiction in 10 districts of Western Maharashtra. Director of Instruction shoulders the responsibility of leading the education of the University. Director of Instruction is responsible for preparing the academic programme as regrads to courses offered, curricula and co-ordinate and guide education, in all the constituent and affiliated colleges, technical schools of the University in close co-operation with the Deans of Faculties, Head of Departments and other officers.
The mandate is to provide Diploma, Graduate, Post-graduate and Doctorate level quality education in agriculture and allied fields for skill development and producing the competent human resource.
The University offers various educational programmes viz., Under graduate [B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture, B.Sc. (Hons) Horticulture, B. Tech. (Agricultural Engineering), B.Tech. (Biotechnology), B. Tech. (Food Technology) and B.Sc. (Hons) Agri. Business Management], Post-graduate (M.Sc. (Agri.) and Ph.D.), and Diploma in Agriculture (Agricultural Technology and Polytechnic). The University has fourteen under-graduate constituent colleges out of which eight colleges of agriculture sciences located at Pune, Kolhapur, Dhule, Nandurbar, Karad, Muktainagar, Halgaon and Kashti, Malegaon; two agricultural engineering colleges at Rahuri and Kashti, Malegaon; two colleges for horticulture at Pune and Kashti, Malegaon; one each agriculture business management and food technology college at Kashti, Malegaon.
There is a Post-Graduate Institute and College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology at the Central Campus, Rahuri offering master’s and doctoral programmes in agriculture and agricultural engineering, respectively. The post-graduate programme is also started at College of Agriculture, Pune, Dhule and Kolhapur leading to M.Sc. (Agri.) degree and Ph.D. programme in Agril. Meteorology at College of Agriculture, Pune. The new Post-graduate degree programme in Agricultural Business Management i.e. M.B.A. (Agri.) is started at Colleges of Agriculture, Pune. Additionally, diploma courses are being conducted through 10 constituent and 72 unaided agricultural technology and polytechnic schools with an admission capacity of 4560. Gardener training is also provided through 2 constituent and 3 unaided training centres with an admission capacity of 200.
During the last decade, successful efforts have been made in improving the course curricula of Under-graduate and Post-graduate programmes. Undergraduate curriculum is revised in line with NEP-2020 as per the VI Deans recommendation, implemented from the year 2023-24. As per the provisions of NEP-2020 revised curriculum includes, flexibility, choice based credit system, multiple entry exit system, skill enhancement courses, internship and Student READY program. Post- graduate programme is revised as per the NCG recommendations, and implemented from the year 2022-23. Constituent colleges provided with additional facilities and amenities viz., ladies hostels, library buildings, tissue culture laboratories and polyhouse facilities. In addition, a Hi-Tech Floriculture and Vegetable Project at Pune and Radioisotope, Biotechnology laboratories, Post-Harvest Management Laboratory and Biodiversity Centre at Rahuri are established.
National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board (NAEAB) has granted accreditation to MPKV, Rahuri and its constituent colleges (College of Agriculture, Pune / Dhule / Kolhapur / Nandurbar, Dr. ASCAET/PGI, MPKV, Rahuri) for the period of five years (2023-24 to 2027-28). University has secured ‘A’ grade with overall score of 3.12 out of 4.0
Utmost effort has been made in providing quality education with student’s development and amenities with state of art facilities. As a result, since inception University has produced more than one lakh skilled human resource engaged in various public, private and agriculture sectors.
The students are encouraged for participation in various educational, social and cultural activities. As a result, the students of this University have excelled in various public service competitive examinations, SRF, JRF fellowships, GATE, ARS and extracurricular activities like sports, NCC, NSS etc. In today’s changing climate situation, natural resource degradation, food and nutrition security and its relation to sustainable agriculture and rural development have increasingly become a matter of concern. Thus, agriculture education plays important role for facing such a challenges through use of ICT, weather forecasting, training and transfer new technology. Hope that the young skilled graduates will overcome all these constraints by innovative research and Lab to Land extension of innovations leading to second Green Revolution.